Monthly archives of “August 2019

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End of the month weigh-in: August

This month’s weight loss = 3.8 lbs

Total weight loss overall = 13.4 lbs

Welp, I can’t believe it’s already September tomorrow.  I’m still tempted to go shopping for clothes but I’m just not at my goal weight so I think I’ll suffer the slightly saggy pants and slightly oversized tops for a little while longer. I’m content with the slow pace of my weight loss, just as long as I’m losing some kind of weight each month.

I miss drinking hot green tea. Because of the summer, I haven’t been drinking it as much. I much prefer hot green tea over cold so lately I’ve just been drinking water (as usual) and mugicha むぎ茶 (barley tea). I must say that I absolutely love mugicha though, but I always prefer it cold. I think these two will just be my staple drinks at home because I find that I can never really finish a bottle of cold green tea. I’ll just drink hot green tea during the colder season. Two more months to go!

On a random note, my employer recently had a name change so all staff will be receiving new work polos. I went on a limb and ordered one size smaller because I normally get a Large. I updated my size to Medium so my plan is to get my belly under control so that I can wear them! Otherwise, I won’t be able to wear them and that would suck because I’m lazy and hate having to pick outfits each morning. That kind of forces me to keep myself in check with my progress, or even perhaps be more aggressive about it.

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New video!

I’m so proud of myself. I managed to somehow edit and publish a video on my Youtube channel. “:♡.•♬✧⁽⁽ଘ( ˊᵕˋ )ଓ⁾⁾*+:•*∴

My mom had no idea I was recording their whole conversation…LOL!

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Thumb/Wrist Issues?

This past week (or two?) I’ve been noticing pain in my hands. It started with my left. One morning I actually woke up from the pain in my left hand. It’s as if I had injured it somehow but for the life of me, I can’t recall how I injured it. The pain lasted a few days and then I started noticing pain in my right hand, specifically my thumb. I ended up ordering a thumb supporter and it’s helping. I’m suspecting this pain I’m experiencing is a build up of years of bad ergonomics at my desk. I’m happy to report that I’ll be getting a new adjustable standing desk soon.

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Hello, ND filter.

Alas, I have finally acquired an ND filter for my 56mm on the XT2 for those super sunny days and making other cool effects. I was inspired to get this after I discovered a travel vlogger on YouTube and spending this afternoon at a park not too far from our apartment. I had the XT2 and Ken had the G7X on the HandyPod. When I was reviewing the footage, I discovered that while the quality of the video on the XT2 was far superior, the lack of an image stabilizer made for a lot of shaky, unusable footage. Meanwhile, on the G7X, the image quality is still great, however, there were times when the footage was overexposed and Ken didn’t know how to adjust, and I was too busy with the XT2 to help. Since I can’t technically get an ND filter for the G7X, I decided I might as well get one for my XT2 since I imagine I’ll be using the 56mm for a lot of my B-Roll going forward.

So things I need to work on with the XT2:

  • Focus: Manual or Auto? I had it set to auto during the footage and noticed there were a lot of missed moments because the camera focused on people in the background. Ugh.
  • Image stabilization: Should I get a gimbal? Ugh. More things to buy?!

Things to consider on the G7X:

  • Exposure: What caused the overexposure in Ken’s footage? I thought I had set the whole thing to auto… So maybe auto doesn’t always mean the settings will adjust under extremely sunny conditions? Sigh.
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Hello, Tarot.

So it looks like I just picked up a new hobby. I’ve always wanted to try tarot cards for the longest time, so I thought…why not? For my first ever “reading,” I drew three random cards at three different times, after a good thorough shuffling between each drawing. Here is what I got in order:

1. Three of Cups
2. Four of Pentacles
3. The Magician

I must say… this is strangely accurate.

Here’s what each card means. I got this from Tarot for Beginners: A Guide to Psychic Tarot Reading, Real Tarot Card Meanings, and Simple Tarot Spreads by Lisa Chamberlain. I picked this book because it was free on Kindle Unlimited.

Three of Cups

Friendship, celebrations, community, creativity, growth, healing

A period of happiness and celebration. The three represents accomplishment and healing, connectedness and renewal of friendship. A relationship grows in strength, love grows, and creativity flourishes. Childbirth may be indicated or new projects may be taking shape. You feel rejuvenated, physically and emotionally. Spend some time appreciating the inherent beauty that surrounds you on a daily basis.

Four of Pentacles

Stability, confidence, security

The four indicates stability and firm foundations. What you have been working for is secured and you can move forward with confidence and assurance after a period of uncertainty. Whether it’s a project, a business, or an educational endeavor, success is predicted. Recovery from health issues is also indicated.

The Magician

In the sequence of Major Arcana Tarot cards, The Magician is the number one, which represents beginnings. The Fool encounters the Magician first among the trump characters because, having taken the step forward that begins the journey, he has set magical forces in motion. This card signifies initiations and acting on one’s will. It is associated with energy, creativity, new projects, and a call to adventure. It is also a reminder that the Universe mirrors each of our actions in the greater scheme of things, so we should take care to direct our energy wisely. The Magician is associated with the planet Mercury, which points to the use of skill, logic, and intellect when taking action. The Magician bridges the spirit world and the human world together, making possible the manifestation of our goals.

Chamberlain, Lisa. Tarot for Beginners: A Guide to Psychic Tarot Reading, Real Tarot Card Meanings, and Simple Tarot Spreads (p. 20). Chamberlain Publications. Kindle Edition.